U.S. patent number 10,773,446 [Application Number 15/271,084] was granted by the patent office on 2020-09-15 for apparatus for producing plastic bottles.
This patent grant is currently assigned to SIDEL PARTICIPATIONS. The grantee listed for this patent is SIDEL PARTICIPATIONS S.A.S.. Invention is credited to Tim Bast, Roberto Zoni.
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United States Patent |
10,773,446 |
Bast , et al. |
September 15, 2020 |
Apparatus for producing plastic bottles
Abstract
An apparatus for producing plastic bottles comprising: a blow
moulding machine including a blow moulding carousel being
configured to transform a succession of plastic preforms into
respective bottles; a filling machine including: a filling
carousel, and a plurality of handling units; a labeling unit
configured to feed a succession of labels to be attached to the
respective bottles; and a conveying system configured to transfer
the bottles within the apparatus. The labeling unit is arranged
peripherally to the filling carousel and is configured to feed the
labels to the handling units carrying the respective bottles while
the handling units are advanced by the filling carousel. The
conveying system includes a plurality of consecutive transport star
wheels transferring the bottles in a continuous stream from the
blow moulding carousel to the filling carousel.
Inventors: |
Bast; Tim (Zug, CH),
Zoni; Roberto (Parma, IT) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SIDEL PARTICIPATIONS S.A.S. |
Octeville-sur-Mer |
N/A |
FR |
|
|
Assignee: |
SIDEL PARTICIPATIONS
(Octeville-sur-mer, FR)
|
Family
ID: |
1000005052960 |
Appl.
No.: |
15/271,084 |
Filed: |
September 20, 2016 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20170080625 A1 |
Mar 23, 2017 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
|
|
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Sep 21, 2015 [EP] |
|
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15306464 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B67C
3/2614 (20130101); B67C 3/24 (20130101); B67C
3/08 (20130101); B65C 9/08 (20130101); B29C
49/78 (20130101); B67C 7/004 (20130101); B67C
3/12 (20130101); B65C 3/26 (20130101); B67C
7/002 (20130101); B29C 49/4273 (20130101); B67C
3/007 (20130101); B29C 49/36 (20130101); B65C
9/04 (20130101); B65C 3/16 (20130101); B67C
2003/2671 (20130101); B67C 2003/227 (20130101); B29L
2031/7158 (20130101); B29C 2949/78537 (20130101); B29C
2949/78563 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B29C
49/36 (20060101); B67C 7/00 (20060101); B67C
3/24 (20060101); B65C 3/26 (20060101); B65C
9/08 (20060101); B29C 49/42 (20060101); B67C
3/12 (20060101); B65C 3/16 (20060101); B65C
9/04 (20060101); B67C 3/26 (20060101); B29C
49/78 (20060101); B29C 49/28 (20060101); B67C
3/00 (20060101); B67C 3/08 (20060101); B67C
3/22 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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10 2010 009137 |
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Aug 2011 |
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DE |
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2295324 |
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Mar 2011 |
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EP |
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2889229 |
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Jul 2015 |
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EP |
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WO 2014/102075 |
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Jul 2014 |
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WO |
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Other References
Extended European Search Report issued by the European Patent
Office in counterpart European Patent Application No. 15306464.7,
dated Mar. 4, 2016. cited by applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Chukwurah; Nathaniel C
Assistant Examiner: Ahmed; Mobeen
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. An apparatus for producing capped and labelled plastic bottles,
each of the plastic bottles having a longitudinal axis, a lateral
wall, and a top neck substantially coaxial with the longitudinal
axis, the apparatus comprising: a blow moulding machine comprising
a blow moulding carousel rotating about a first vertical axis, the
blow moulding carousel including: an input station for receiving a
succession of preforms; an output station angularly spaced from the
input station about the first vertical axis and releasing a
succession of empty bottles; and a plurality of moulding units
equally spaced angularly about the first vertical axis along a
peripheral portion of the blow moulding carousel, wherein the
moulding units are configured to be moved by the blow moulding
carousel along a transfer path extending about the first vertical
axis and through the input and output stations; a filling machine
including: a filling carousel rotating about a second vertical
axis, parallel to the first vertical axis, the filling carousel
rotating in a direction opposite the blow molding carousel; and a
plurality of filling devices, wherein each of the filling devices
is configured to introduce a predetermined volume of a pourable
product into a respective plastic bottle, wherein the filling
carousel is configured to: receive the succession of empty bottles
from the output station of the blow moulding machine at a first
input station; transport the succession of empty bottles along a
circular transfer path; receive a succession of labels at a second
input station, arranged downstream and, angularly spaced from the
first input station about the second vertical axis; and release a
succession of filled and labelled bottles at a second output
station, arranged downstream and angularly spaced from the first
input station and the second input station about the second
vertical axis; a conveying system configured to transfer the
plastic bottles within the apparatus, the conveyor system defining
a flow line that forms a distance between the blow moulding
carousel and the filling carousel without further processing
carousels; a pressurization circuit including a valve for
activating the pressurization circuit, wherein the pressurization
circuit is configured to pressurize each of the succession of empty
bottles prior to labelling and filling; a labelling unit configured
to label the succession of empty bottles pressurized by the
pressurization circuit, wherein the labelling unit is arranged
downstream of the first input station on the filling carousel; an
actuating device configured to rotate each labelled bottle about
the longitudinal axis during filling by a respective one of the
filling devices and during transport along the circular transport
path by the filling carousel, thereby generating centrifugal force
and additional pressure for entrapping gas in the pourable product
and prevent foaming of the pourable product; a decompression
circuit configured to decompress labelled and fined bottles,
wherein the actuating device is configured to rotate each of the
labelled and filled bottles during decompression, thereby reducing
foaming upon release from the respective one of the filling devices
at atmospheric pressure; a capping machine located downstream of
the filling machine and configured to cap the labelled and filled
bottles, the capping machine including a capping carousel rotating
about a third vertical axis, parallel to the first and second
vertical axes, wherein the capping carousel is positioned opposite
the flow line from the labelling unit; and a central electronic
control system including an electronic process control unit
configured to monitor and control operations of the blow moulding
machine, the filling machine, the labelling unit, the capping
machine, and the conveying system.
2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveying
system including a plurality of consecutive transport star wheels
transferring the bottles in a continuous stream from the blow
moulding carousel to the filling carousel.
3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the labelling unit
is arranged adjacent to a first sector of the filling carousel
immediately downstream of a location at which the bottles are fed
to the filling carousel by transport star wheels of the conveying
system.
4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the succession of
empty bottles are advanced from the blow moulding carousel to the
filling carousel along a given flow path, and wherein the blow
moulding machine, the filling machine, and the labelling unit have
control panels located on the same side with respect to the flow
path.
5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distance to the
filling carrousel from the blow moulding carousel is defined by the
number of transport star wheels interposed therebetween.
6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the capping machine
is connected to the filling machine by at least one transport star
wheel.
7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bottles are
advanced from the blow moulding carousel to the filling carousel
along a given flow path, and wherein the capping machine is
arranged on the opposite side of the flow path with respect to the
labelling unit.
8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the pressurization
circuit is selectively in communication with each of the succession
of empty bottles advanced by the filling carousel to feed an
operative fluid, pressurized at a pressure higher than the
atmospheric pressure, into each bottle; the decompression circuit
is selectively in communication with each of the labelled and
filled bottles advanced by the filling carousel to discharge excess
pressure with respect to the atmospheric pressure, after completion
of the filling of each bottle with the pourable product; the
actuating device is selectively switched to an active state to
rotate each labelled bottle about the longitudinal axis during
transport by the filling carousel; a filling machine control panel
is configured to control activation/deactivation of each filling
device and the actuating device, and connection of the
pressurization circuit and the decompression circuit with each
bottle; and the filling machine control panel is configured to
simultaneously maintain the actuating, device in the active state
while the decompression circuit is in communication with each
labelled and filled bottle so as to rotate each of the labelled and
filled bottles about the longitudinal axis during
decompression.
9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the control device
is configured to maintain the actuating device in the active state
while one of the filling devices is activated so as to rotate each
labelled bottle about the longitudinal axis during filling with the
pourable product.
10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the actuating
device is controlled by the control device to decelerate the
labelled and filled bottles during decompression.
11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a
plurality of handling units configured to receive the succession of
empty bottles from the blow moulding carousel and retain the
succession of empty bottles during filling with the pourable
product.
12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the labelling
unit is arranged peripherally to the filling carousel and is
configured to feed the succession of labels to the plurality of
handling units carrying the succession of empty bottles.
13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of the
handling units includes a support device configured to receive and
retain the succession of empty bottles in a vertical position.
14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the
filling devices includes a vertical hollow post with a cylindrical
shape and a shutter configured to engage the vertical hollow post
with the filling device in a sliding manner.
15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the support
device includes a support bell and a gripping member projecting
downwards from the support bell, wherein the gripping member is
configured to retain each of the succession of empty bottles by the
top neck.
16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuating
device includes an electric motor fixed to the filling carousel,
wherein an activation of the electric motor is configured to rotate
each labelled bottle about the longitudinal aids during
filling.
17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the labeling unit
includes a label transfer drum configured to carry the succession
of labels on an outer lateral surface of the label transfer drum by
suction.
18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the label
transfer drum is arranged tangentially to the filling carousel so
as to transfer each of the succession of labels to a respective
bottle passing the label transfer drum.
19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the conveying
system includes an even number of consecutive transport star wheels
from the blow moulding carousel to the filling carousel.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of priority of European Patent
Application No. 15306464.7, filed on Sep. 21, 2015, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing plastic
bottles; in particular, the present invention relates to an
apparatus, in which the plastic bottles are formed from blanks or
preforms, filled with pourable products, labeled and preferably
capped.
The products poured in the bottles include still (such as still
water) or carbonated liquids (such as sparkling water, soft drinks
and beer), beverages (including juices, teas, sport drinks, wine,
etc.), liquid cleaners, emulsions, suspensions, high viscosity
liquids, etc.
It is pointed out that the term "plastic bottle" is used in the
present description and in the claims to indicate any type of
plastic container which is obtained by a blow moulding process
starting from a blank or preform.
BACKGROUND ART
As known, a wide range of plastic bottles are formed in
carousel-type blow moulding machines from plastic preforms. In
particular, the heated preforms are accommodated in correspondingly
designed blow moulds of the blow moulding machine and are then
blown, during rotation of the blow moulding machine, under high
pressure and high temperature to form respective bottles.
The bottles exiting from the blow moulding machine are then
transferred to a carousel-type filling machine, where such bottles
are filled with a pourable product of the above-mentioned type. At
this point, the bottles are capped in a further carousel and
subsequently transferred to a labeling machine. It is often
necessary to provide a long transfer from the capping machine to
the labeling machine to allow the bottles to be externally dried
prior to proceed with the application of the labels.
In general, in the known apparatuses, there are long transfer paths
between the above-indicated different machines, partly also with
interposition of buffers; as a consequence, facilities suitable to
house this kind of apparatuses need to be relatively extensive,
i.e. they require a lot of space.
A need is particularly felt in this field to reduce the footprint
of the apparatuses for producing, filling, capping and labeling
plastic bottles.
A solution to this problem has been proposed in US 2011/0056172,
wherein the labeling machine has been interposed between the blow
moulding machine and the filling machine, so that no drying
operation is required prior to start the labeling operation, as the
bottles exit perfectly clean and dry from the blow moulding
machine. However, it is necessary to provide a change of pitch from
the blow moulding machine to the labeling machine.
In addition, in the proposed solution of US 2011/0056172, the
bottles are transferred without buffers among the blow moulding
machine, the labeling machine and the filling machine.
This recently-proposed solution still leaves room for further
improvements, especially as to achieve a further reduction of the
apparatus footprint and a simplification of the adjustments
necessary to synchronize the different processing machines.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus
for producing plastic bottles, designed to meet the above needs,
and which is cheap and easy to implement.
According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus
for producing plastic bottles as claimed in claim 1.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment is hereinafter disclosed for a better
understanding of the present invention, by mere way of
non-limitative example and with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a schematic top plan view, with parts removed for
clarity, of an apparatus according to the present invention for
producing plastic bottles;
FIG. 2 shows a larger-scale, partly sectioned side view, with parts
removed for clarity, of a handling unit of a machine of the FIG. 1
apparatus;
FIG. 3 shows part of the handling unit of FIG. 2 during a different
operative step;
FIG. 4 shows a larger-scale, sectioned side view, with parts
removed for clarity, of a detail of the handling unit of FIGS. 2
and 3; and
FIG. 5 shows a front sectioned view of an example of preform from
which the apparatus of FIG. 1 produces the bottle illustrated in
FIGS. 2 to 4.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Number 1 in FIG. 1 indicates as a an apparatus according to the
present invention for producing plastic bottles 2 (shown in greater
details in FIGS. 2 to 4).
In particular, in the apparatus 1, the bottles 2 are formed from
respective preforms 3 (FIG. 5), are filled with a pourable product,
are capped with respective known closing caps (not shown) and are
labeled with respective labels 4 (FIG. 3).
The bottles 2 used in apparatus 1 may be filled with any type of
pourable product, like carbonated liquids (such as sparkling water,
soft drinks and beer), non-carbonated liquids (such as still water,
juices, teas, sport drinks, wine), liquid cleaners, emulsions,
suspensions, high. viscosity liquids, powder products, etc.
As visible in FIGS. 1 to 4, each bottle 2 has a longitudinal axis
A, which runs in a vertical direction within. apparatus 1. Each
bottle 2 is bounded at the bottom by a bottom wall 5, substantially
perpendicular to axis A, and has a top neck 6 substantially coaxial
with the axis itself and defining an inlet/outlet. mouth; the neck
6 is preferably equipped with a threaded surface 7 designed to
allow the closing off by capping of the final bottle 2.
In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 5, each preform 3 is made
from thermoplastic material and comprises a top neck 8, which is at
its definitive shape identical to that of the neck 6 of the
corresponding bottle 2, and a wall 9 bounding an internal closed
volume only accessible through the mouth of the neck 8.
In particular, each preform 3 has a main longitudinal axis B, which
runs in a vertical direction within apparatus 1. The wall 9 of each
preform 3 has a U-shaped cross section in a plane containing the
relative axis B. A part of the wall 9, opposite neck 8, defines, in
the vertical direction, the bottom of the preform 3 destined to be
transformed, during production of the relative bottle 2, into
bottom wall 5 thereof.
With reference to FIG. 1, apparatus 1 comprises: a blow moulding
machine 10 configured to transform a succession of preforms 3 into
respective bottles 2; a filling machine 11 configured to introduce
a predetermined volume of a pourable product into each bottle 2; a
labeling unit 12 configured to feed a succession of labels 4 to be
attached to the respective bottles 2; capping machine 13 located
downstream of filling machine 11 and configured to provide bottles
2 with relative closing caps after filling; and a conveying system
14 configured to transfer the bottles 2 within the apparatus 1.
Apparatus 1 also comprises a central electronic control system 15,
which in turn includes: an electronic process control unit 16 for
monitoring and controlling the operations of blow moulding machine
10, filling machine 11, labeling unit and capping machine 13 as
well as the various components of conveying system 14; and a power
supply unit 18 for supplying electrical power to any member of the
apparatus 1.
Blow moulding machine 10, filling machine 11 and capping machine 13
are all of carousel-type.
In particular, blow moulding machine 10 comprises a blow moulding
carousel 20, which is mounted to rotate continuously (anticlockwise
in FIG. 1) about a vertical axis C perpendicular to the FIG. 1
plane. The carousel 20 receives a succession of preforms 3 at an
input station 21 and releases a succession of bottles 2 at an
output station 22, angularly spaced from the input station 21 about
axis C.
Blow moulding machine 10 further comprises a plurality of moulding
units 23 (known per se and only schematically shown in FIG. 1),
which are equally spaced angularly about axis C, are mounted along
a peripheral portion of carousel 20 and are moved by the carousel
20 itself along a transfer path P extending about axis C and
through input and output stations 21 and 22.
Each moulding unit 23 is configured to receive the respective
preform 3 with its axis B parallel to the axis C as well as to
transform the preform 3 itself into a respective bottle 2. More
specifically, each moulding unit 23 includes, in a known manner,
injecting means (not shown) for introducing a fluid under pressure
in the respective preform 3 through its neck 8 so as to deform the
wall 9 up to the final shape of the bottle 2. The preforms 3 are
previously heat treated in an oven (known per se and not shown) in
order to soften the material composing them prior to be subjected
to the actual blow moulding operations on the carousel 20.
With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, filling machine comprises a filling
carousel 24, which serves not only to fill the bottles 2 with the
pourable product but also to label them with the respective labels
4 fed by labeling unit 12.
Carousel 24 is mounted to rotate continuously (clockwise in FIG. 1)
about a vertical axis D, parallel to axis C. The carousel 24
receives succession of empty bottles 2 at a first input station and
a succession of labels 4 at a second input station, arranged
downstream and angularly spaced from the input station 25 about the
axis D; the carousel 24 releases a succession of filled and labeled
bottles 2 at an output station 27, angularly spaced from the input
stations 25, 26 about axis D and arranged downstream thereof.
Filling machine 11 also comprises a plurality of handling units 28,
which are equally spaced angularly about axis D, are mounted along
a peripheral portion of carousel 24 and are moved by the carousel
24 itself along a transfer path Q extending about axis D and
through stations 25, 26 and 27.
As shown in detail in FIGS. 2 to 4, each handling unit 28 comprises
a support device 29 configured to receive and retain a relative
bottle 2 in a vertical position, in which such bottle 2 has its
axis A parallel to the axis D of carousel 24, and a filling device
30 selectively operated to feed the pourable product into the
bottle 2 itself as the support device 29 travels along transfer
path Q.
Each filling device 30 is conveniently arranged above the bottle 2
to be filled and each support device 29 projects downwards from the
relative filling device and supports the bottle 2 itself in a
suspended position.
As the handling units 28 are completely identical to each other,
only one will be described in detail hereafter, for the sake of
clarity and simplicity.
With particular reference to FIGS. 2 to 4, filling device 30
comprises a vertical hollow post 31 with a cylindrical shape, which
has a longitudinal axis E, parallel to axis D, and is fixed to the
peripheral portion of the carousel 24.
Post 31 is radially delimited by an inner surface comprising an
upper wide portion 33 and a lower narrow portion 34, and is engaged
in a sliding manner by a shutter 35 with a tubular shape, which is
mounted inside the post 31 coaxial to the axis E.
Shutter 35 projects downwards from a lower opening of post 31, and
is coupled to the latter by means of a deformable annular membrane
35, which is in turn interposed between the post 31 and the shutter
35 themselves.
Shutter 35 defines, together with post 31, an annular feeding
conduit 37, which extends between post 31 and shutter 35 and is
connected, through a product circuit 38 (known per se and only
schematically shown) and an ON/OFF valve 39, to a tank 40 (also
known per se and schematically shown) containing the pourable
product to be fed into the bottles 2.
Shutter 35 is provided, on its outer surface, with an annular
elastomeric gasket 41 configured to cooperate in use with lower
narrow portion 34 of inner surface 32 of post 31; shutter 35 also
has a lower tubular end portion 35a extending downwards coaxially
with axis E from the portion provided with gasket 41.
Shutter 35 is axially movable between a lowered closing position
(FIGS. 2 to 4), in which gasket 41 of the shutter 35 is arranged in
contact with lower narrow portion 34 of inner surface 32 of post 31
so as to be coupled to the latter in a fluid-tight manner and close
conduit 37, and a raised opening position (not shown), in which the
conduit 37 itself is open.
Shutter 35 is moved to its raised opening position--and normally
kept there--by a spring 42, which is mounted between the post 31
and the shutter 35 coaxial to axis E, and is moved to its lowered
closing position, against the action of the spring 42, by an
actuating cylinder 43.
More specifically, actuating cylinder 43 is arranged within post 31
coaxial to axis E, is provided with a piston 44, which is coupled
to shutter 35 in an axially and angularly fixed manner, and is
connected to a known pneumatic device, which is not shown.
By setting valve 39 in an open condition and shutter 35 in the
raised opening position, the pourable product can flow within the
relative bottle 2 so as to define a filling operation thereof.
Shutter 35 also has a swirler 45, which is obtained on the outer
surface of the shutter 35 itself, and extends along--and
around--axis E, so as to cause the pourable product fed along
conduit 37 to have a swirling movement.
Shutter 35 defines an inner feeding conduit 46, which is connected,
through a pressurization circuit 47 (known per se and only
schematically shown) and an ON/OFF valve 48, to a chamber 49 (also
known per se and schematically shown) formed in the carousel and
filled with a pressurization fluid, e.g. carbon dioxide.
By setting valve 48 in an open condition, it is possible to
pressurize the relative bottle 2 carried by the handling unit 28 to
a given pressure value higher than the atmospheric pressure. This
pressurizing step serves to two purposes: to make each bottle 2
sufficiently rigid for a labeling operation, which. is carried out
on the same carousel 24 and will be described in detail later on;
and in case of a filling operation to be performed with carbonated
product with or without a labeling operation, to take each bottle 2
to the requested condition for filling.
It is pointed out that the pressure values required for filling a
bottle 2 with a carbonated product may be different and in
particular higher than the pressure values required only to make
the bottle 2 sufficiently rigid for a labeling operation.
Filling device 30 also comprises a tubular element 50, which
extends around a lower end 51 of post 31, is mounted coaxial to
axis E, and is coupled to the post 31 itself in an angularly and
axially fixed manner.
Support device 29 comprises a substantially cylindrical support
bell 52 of axis E, which is externally coupled to tubular element
50 in an axially fixed position and in a rotary mariner about the
axis E itself, and a gripping member 53 projecting downwards from
the bell 52 and configured to retain a relative bottle 2 by the
neck 6.
In particular, bell 52 extends coaxially around tubular element 50.
More specifically, bell 52 is coupled to tubular element 50 by
interposing one or more rolling bearings 54, two in the example
shown, so as to rotate around axis E relative to the tubular
element 50 itself and under the thrust of an actuating device 55,
in turn extending on one side of filling device 30.
As clearly visible in FIG. 2, actuating device 55 comprises an
electric motor 56, which is fixed to the carousel 24 on one side of
post 31, and is provided with an output shaft 57 having a
longitudinal axis F that is parallel to axis E.
Shaft 57 is coupled to bell 52 by means of a pair of gears 58, 59,
one of which (58) is angularly secured to the shaft 57 and the
other (59) is formed on the outer surface of the bell 52
itself.
Gripping member 53 comprises a support arm 60, which projects
downwards from bell 52, is fixed to the bell 52 itself and supports
a pair of holding jaws 61, which are configured to hold a relative
bottle 2 in correspondence to its neck 6.
In particular, support arm 60 projects from a. bottom surface of
bell 52 in an eccentric position with respect to axis E.
Jaws 61 are mounted under arm 60 and are hinged to the arm 60
itself so as to rotate, relative to the latter, around a fulcrum
axis G, which is parallel to axis E.
Jaws 61 are normally set in a clamping position under the thrust of
a spring 62, which is interposed between the jaws 61 themselves; in
use, laws 61 are moved to a release position by the thrust exerted
thereon by the relative bottle 2 during its insertion into gripping
member 53 or its extraction from the gripping member 53.
Filling device 30 also comprises a filling head 63, axially
projecting downwards, i.e. towards the relative jaws 61, from post
31 and with respect to the relative bell 52, and further comprising
an annular elastomeric gasket 64, which has an annular shape
coaxial to axis E, is designed to cooperate, in use, with top neck
6 of the relative bottle 2 and is carried by post 31.
In particular, the gasket 64 is secured to an annular element 65,
in turn cooperating with lower end 51 of the relative post 31
through a further elastomeric gasket 66 and a rolling bearing
67.
In particular, lower end 51 of the relative post 31 defines at the
bottom, i.e. towards the relative jaws an annular cavity 68, open
towards the jaws 61 themselves and delimited by an inner annular
wall 69 and an outer annular wall 70; in greater details, inner
annular wall 69 delimits, on its outer side, the annular cavity 68,
and, on its inner side, the conduit 37; outer annular wall 70
outwardly faces bell 52.
Annular element 65 is housed within annular cavity 68 and
cooperates with inner annular wall 69 of post 31 through. gasket 66
and with outer annular wall 70 through rolling bearing 67.
The gasket 64 of each handling unit 28 is sandwiched between
annular element 65 and an annular disk-shaped cover 71, secured to
the annular element 65 itself.
As a result of the arrangement above described, annular element 65,
gaskets 64, 66 and cover 71 can rotate in use with respect to post
31 around axis E under the thrust of the relative bottle 2. During
this rotation, gasket 66 slides on inner annular wall 69 of the
relative post 31 ensuring sealing thereof.
As clearly shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, in each handling unit 28, gasket
66 is axially interposed between the gasket 64, destined to
cooperate with the relative bottle 2, and the gasket 41 of the
shutter 35 cooperating with lower narrow portion 34 of inner
surface 32 of the post 31 in the lowered closing position of the
shutter 35 itself.
Support device 29 of each handling unit 28 may additionally
comprise a lower support plate 72 (FIG. 3), on which bottom wall 5
of the relative bottle 2 rests.
According to another possible embodiment not shown, gripping
members 53 may be removed and lower support plates 72 may be
motor-operated so as to rotate the respective bottles 2 around the
relative axes E; in this case, the rotary motion imparted to each
bottle 2 by the respective lower support plate 72 would be
transmitted to the relative filling head 63 by means of the bottle
2 itself.
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, post 31 further defines an annular
decompression conduit 73 connecting an annular volume V, formed
between lower end 51 of the post 31 and lower end portion 35a of
shutter 35, with a decompression circuit 74 (known per se and only
schematically shown), in turn connected to a discharge device 75
(also known per se and only schematically shown) through an ON/OFF
valve 76.
As a result of the described structure, each handling unit 26 is
configured not only to support and fill a relative bottle 2 but
also to rotate such bottle 2 about its axis A during its movement
along transfer path Q together with carousel 24. This kind or
rotary motion is imparted to each bottle 2 by electric motor 56 and
gripping member 53 of the relative handling unit 28.
In practice, each bottle 2 has, in use, a revolution motion about
axis D together with carousel 24 and a rotary motion about its own
axis A as a result of the torque imparted by the relative electric
motor 56 and gears 58, 59 to the relative gripping member 53.
In this way, the post 31 and the tubular element 50 define a fixed
portion X of the relative handling unit 28, whilst the bell 52 and
the gripping member 53 define an active rotary portion Y of the
handling unit 28 itself, capable of imparting a rotary motion to
the relative bottle 2; in addition, the gaskets 64, 66, the annular
element 65 and the cover 71 define a passive rotary portion Z of
the relative handling unit 28 as such components are dragged into
rotation in use by the relative bottle 2.
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, labeling unit is arranged
peripherally to carousel 24 and is configured to feed the labels 4
to the respective handling units 28 carrying the respective bottles
2, while such units 28 are advanced along transfer path Q by the
carousel 24 and pass by the labeling unit 12 itself.
As visible in FIG. 1, labeling unit 12 cooperates with carousel 24
at input station 26, which is preferably arranged closer to input
station 25 than output station 27.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, labeling unit 12 is arranged
adjacent to a first sector of the carousel 24, immediately
downstream of the position at which the bottles 2 are fed to the
carousel 24 itself by the conveying system 14, i.e. immediately
downstream of input station 25.
With particular reference to the embodiment shown. in FIGS. 1 and
3, labeling unit 12 preferably comprises a label transfer drum 77
carrying the labels 4 on its outer lateral surface by suction and
rotating about an axis H, parallel to axes C, D, E, F. More
specifically, the drum 77 is arranged tangentially to carousel 24
so as to transfer each label 4 to the adjacent bottle passing by
the drum 77 itself.
In order to allow application of each label 4 on the corresponding
bottle 2, the latter is rotated about its axis A by switching
electric motor 56 to an active state.
As it will be explained in greater detail hereafter, the
application of each label 4 on the corresponding bottle 2 is
performed after pressurization of such bottle 2 by opening valve 48
of the relative pressurization circuit 47.
With reference to FIG. 1, blow moulding machine 10, filling machine
11 and labeling unit 12 have respective control panels 78, 79, 80,
which are configured to control the operations performed by said
machines and labeling unit, are connected to electronic process
control unit 16 and are electrically powered by power supply unit
18.
With particular reference to FIG. 2, control panel 79 of filling
machine 11 is connected to electric motor 56, piston 44 and ON/OFF
valves 39, 48 and 76 of each handling unit 28,
Control panel 79 is configured to set each electric motor 56 in the
active state in order to rotate the relative gripping member 53
supporting a relative bottle 2 during labeling and filling thereof
with the pourable product.
Angular speed imparted to each bottle 2 during application of one
relative label 4 is preferably higher than that imparted to the
same bottle 2 during filling with the pourable product,
In order to obtain rotation of each bottle 2 during filling thereof
with the pourable product, control panel simultaneously maintains
the shutter 35 of the relative handling unit 28 in the upper
opening position, the relative valve 39 in the open condition and
the relative electric motor 56 in the active state, so as to rotate
the relative gripping member 53 about the respective axis E.
By rotating each bottle 2 about its axis A while the same bottle 2
is filled with the pourable product by the relative filling device
30 and is transported in a revolution motion along transfer path Q
by carousel 24, it is possible to obtain the following effects: the
centrifugal force caused by this double rotation generates an
additional pressure on the pourable product in the bottle 2, which
entraps the carbon dioxide into the product; and the pourable
product comes down into the bottle 2 along the lateral wall thereof
instead of centrally.
Both these effects permits to obtain a significant reduction in the
formation of foam at the end of the filling operation.
Control panel 79 is advantageously configured to switch each
electric motor 56 to the active state so as to rotate the relative
gripping member in turn supporting a relative bottle 2, during the
decompression step, i.e. while such bottle 2 is put in connection,
by opening the relative valve 76, with the discharge device
The applicant has observed that this further rotation imparted to
each bottle 2 during the decompression step permits to obtain a
further significant reduction in the formation of foam when the
bottle 2 itself is released at atmospheric pressure.
The rotation speeds of each gripping member 35 and the respective
bottle 2 during the decompression step are progressively reduced to
stop at the end of such step.
All the variations in the angular speeds of each gripping member 35
and the respective bottle 2 during filling and decompression are
controlled by control panel 79 through suitable commands imparted
to the relative electric motor 56.
With reference to FIG. 1, capping machine 13 is of known type and
basically comprises a capping carousel 81, which serves to cap the
filled bottles 2 with respective closing caps and which is mounted
to rotate continuously (clockwise in FIG. 1) about a vertical axis
I, parallel to axis C, D, F, F and H.
Capping machine 13 further comprises, in a known manner, a panel
control (not shown), which is configured to control the operations
performed by such machine, is connected to electronic process
control unit 16 and is electrically powered by power supply unit
18.
With reference to FIG. 1, conveying system 14 advantageously
comprise a plurality of consecutive transport star wheels 82 having
respective axes parallel to axes C, D, F, F, H, I and configured to
transfer the bottles 2 in a continuous stream from the carousel 20
to the carousel 24.
The star wheels 82 define a given flow line H, along which the
bottles 2 are advanced from carousel 20 to the carousel 24. The
flow line R is formed by a plurality of arc-shaped segments, each
of which having a concavity opposite to the adjacent one/ones.
As clearly visible in FIG. 1, the distance between the carousels 20
and 24 is only defined by the number of star wheels 82 interposed
therebetween, without further processing carousels.
The star wheels 82 are advantageously in an even number, preferably
equal to six in the example shown. In this way, the carousels 20
and 24 have opposite directions of rotation. This feature together
with the fact that the labeling unit 12 is arranged adjacent to a
first sector of the carousel 24 immediately downstream of input
station 25 make possible to have the control panels 78, 79, 80
located on the same side with respect to flow line R, so as to
facilitate installation of the apparatus 1, without any need of
operators to pass from one side to the opposite one of the
apparatus itself.
Conveying system 14 further comprises a linear conveyor 83 and an
input star wheel 84 for feeding the preforms 3 to carousel 20; in
particular, star wheel 84 cooperates with carousel 20 at input
station 21.
Conveying system 14 finally comprises one star wheel 85 for
transferring the filled and labeled bottles 2 from carousel 24 to
carousel 81, and one star wheel 86 for removing the capped bottles
2 from the carousel 81.
As shown in FIG. 1, carousel 81 is advantageously arranged on the
opposite side of flow line R with respect to labeling unit 12.
Operation of apparatus 1 will now be described with reference to
one preform 3 and as of the instant in which such preform 3 is fed
to blow moulding machine 10 in order to be transformed into a
corresponding bottle 2 destined to be subsequently labeled, filled
with a pourable product and capped.
In particular, the preform 3, preheated in an oven prior to
reaching the input station 21, is fed to the carousel 20 by star
wheel 84 in a vertical position, i.e. having its axis B parallel to
axes C, D, E, F, H, I and its neck 8 located on top of the preform
3 itself. More specifically, the preform 3 is received in
respective moulding unit 23 of blow moulding machine 10 to be
transformed in a corresponding bottle 2 by injecting a fluid under
pressure in the cavity delimited by wall 9 so as to deform such
wall to the desired final configuration.
The bottle 2 obtained by the blow moulding operation carried out on
the preform 3 is then fed to the adjacent star wheel 82 at output
station 22. The bottle 2 is advanced continuously towards the
filling machine 11 by the consecutive star wheels 82 in a vertical
position, i.e. with its axis A parallel to axes C, D, E, F, H, I
and its neck 8 located in an upper position than its bottom wall
5.
The bottle 2 is received by a respective handling unit 28 at input
station 25 of carousel 24. in particular, the bottle 2 is retained
at its neck. 6 by the respective gripping member 53 and supported
at the bottom by the respective lower support plate 72. More
specifically, the gasket 64 of the relative filling head 63
contacts the neck 6 of the bottle 2, which has a position coaxial
with the filling head 63 itself and, more in general, with the
handling unit 28. In practice, the axis A of the bottle 2 is
coaxial with the axis F of the handling unit 28.
At this point, valve 48 of pressurization circuit 47 is opened
(valve 39 of product circuit 38 and valve of decompression circuit
74 are in a closed condition) and is maintained in that condition
up to the moment in which pressure in the bottle 2 reaches a given
first value H1, for instance about 1,5 bar, adapted to make the
bottle 2 sufficiently rigid for labeling. Then, valve 48 is
closed.
In the meantime, the handling unit 28 reaches input station 26,
where a label 4 is supplied by labeling unit 12 to the bottle 2; in
order to allow application of the label 4 on the bottle 2, the
latter is rotated about its axis A by activating electric motor 56,
in particular, in this stage, rotary motion imparted by output
shaft 57 of electric motor 56 to gripping member 53 through gears
58, 59 is transmitted to the bottle 2 and from the latter to the
passive rotary portion Z of the handling unit 28, which is in
contact with the neck. 6 of the bottle 2.
Once the label 4 has been applied on bottle 2, in the case in which
the pourable product to be fed into the bottle 2 is carbonated
liquid, a further pressurization step is carried out; even in this
case, valve 48 of pressurization circuit 47 is opened and
maintained in the open condition up to the moment in which pressure
in the bottle 2 reaches a given second value H2, for instance about
6 bar, higher than first value H1 and defining the requested
condition for the filling operation with the carbonated liquid.
Then, the valve 48 is again closed.
By opening valve 39 of product circuit 38, the actual filling of
the bottle 2 with the product can be started (shutter 35 is
normally kept by spring 42 in the raised opening position). This
step ends when the product reaches the desired level in the bottle
2.
During this step, electric motor 56 is again activated to rotate
the bottle 2 about its axis A. Therefore, the bottle 2 is subjected
to a revolution motion about axis D and a rotary motion about axis
A. Thanks to this double rotation about axes A and D, the bottle 2
can be filled at high speed with a reduced formation of foam. As a
matter of fact, the centrifugal force caused by this additional
rotation about axis A generates an additional pressure on the
product in the bottle 2, which entraps the carbon dioxide into the
product. Moreover, the product comes down into the bottle along the
lateral wall thereof instead of centrally.
The next step is the decompression of the bottle 2, which is
achieved by connecting the bottle 2 with decompression circuit
74.
Also in this step, the bottle 2 is rotated about its axis A, by
maintaining electric motor 56 in an activation step. In particular,
during the decompression step, the bottle 2 is progressively
decelerated and is definitively stopped at the end of this
step.
The applicant has observed that, by rotating the bottle 2 during
the decompression step, further reduction of the formation of the
foam can be achieved with a consequent relevant reduction of the
overall time to complete the filling operation of the bottle 2.
In the case in which the pourable product delivered to the bottle 2
is a non-carbonated liquid, the second pressurization step is not
performed.
Once the filling operation has been completed, the bottle 2 is
released. by carousel 11 to star wheel 85 at output position 27 and
then transferred to the carousel of capping machine 13 for
performing the capping operation. The bottle 2 finally reaches star
wheel 86 to be subsequently transferred to the next processing
stations.
The advantages of apparatus 1 according to the present invention
will be clear from the foregoing description,
In particular, the apparatus 1 allows to perform the blow moulding,
filling, labeling and cape operations by using only three
carousel-type machines. In addition, the transfer from one machine
to the next is achieved by using consecutive star wheels, without
buffers or further processing means so as to move the bottles 2
within the apparatus 1 in a continuous stream and at high
speed.
By minimizing the number of machines used to perform the different
operations from the preforms 3 to filled, capped and labeled
bottles 2, it is possible to achieve a relevant reduction of the
footprint of the apparatus 1. Plus, by placing the capping machine
13 on the opposite side of the transfer line from the blow moulding
carousel 20 to the filling carousel 24 with respect to the labeling
unit 12, the footprint of the apparatus 1 may be further
minimized.
Last but not least, by rotating the bottles 2 both. during the
filling and the decompression steps, it is possible to reduce the
formation of foam and therefore to increase the speed at which the
bottles 2 are advanced by the filling carousel 24. In this way, the
pitch of the filling carousel 24 may be increased and possibly made
equal to that of the blow moulding carousel 20, so further
simplifying the structure of the apparatus 1.
Clearly, changes may be made to apparatus described herein without,
however, departing from the scope of protection as defined in the
accompanying claims.
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